A discussion on how leading companies pro-actively make the transition to low carbon business models: What makes it big business, How did they kick start, what does it take to reap the full benefits of climate action in terms of cost savings, innovation, jobs and prosperity? How to get to the next level?

Hugh Welsh, President DSM North America

Marina Leight, Vice President Philips Lighting

Michael Carr, Shell International

Vince Digneo, Sustainability Strategist Adobe

Ray Williams, PG&E

Moderator: Eric Olson, Senior Vice President, Business for Social Responsibility

Andrew Steer, Director World Resources Institute (video message)

1:00 pm - 2:30 pmNetworking lunch

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Starting It Up -Scene setting remarks

Nick Cohn, TomTom

Guus Velders, Senior Scientist Air Quality and Climate Change, Netherlands Institute for Public Health and the Environment

Adair Turner, Chairman Energy Transition Commission (video message)

3:00 pm - 4:00 pmMaking It Happen

Parallel working sessionswhich will provide the opportunity for a deep dive into specific challenges and opportunities for the respective themes. What do we learn from current business? How to sustain and enhance the momentum and take the business opportunities to the next level?

Sessions:

Climate Smart Mobility:

The Netherlands and West Coast US face many similar challenges on air quality, oil dependence, sustainable jobs creation, congestion, crowded cities, etc. Which opportunities for change and economic growth does Climate Smart Mobility have to offer?

Fastly dropping prices of renewable energy strongly change the energy landscape offering cost saving, new job opportunities and spurring new technologies. Yet strong challenges remain. How will the energy revolution play out and what are key defining issues?

Across the financial sector and within businesses climate change is growingly addressed to manage financial and asset risk. And a growing range of innovative instruments is deployed to incentivise investments towards a low carbon future. Where do these development across the financial sector and across instruments take us?